Community leaders participate in District 55's Principal for the Day program

Ten regional leaders took the temporary reins of Laurens County School District 55 schools and the school district Tuesday as part of the annual American Education Week – Principal for the Day program.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity to bring acknowledged leaders in their fields into our schools to see what goes on from an insider’s perspective,” said Dr. Stephen G. Peters, superintendent of LCSD 55. “Every day, in every school, we find success stories. We want to share those stories as well as share our challenges.”

As part of the program, the district paired industry leaders with a school’s principal or educational leader and follow a typical Tuesday of greeting students, observing classroom lessons, meeting with parents and staff, and taking care of paperwork.

“We haven’t had a year go by where one of our ‘principals for the day’ didn’t tell me that they were amazed and awestruck by the efforts of students, the dedication of staff and the passion of the whole school team,” Peters said.

The “temporary” principals include:

-Randy Garrett is the Vice President of Government Relations for Laurens and Little River Electric Co-ops. He’ll be working at EB Morse Elementary with Principal Lynn Owings;

-Jonathan Coleman is a South Carolina Certified Economic Developer and has been with the Laurens County Development Corporation since 2008. He’ll be spending the day at the District with Superintendent Dr. Stephen G. Peters and Mr. Ed Murray, Director of Public Relations;

-Sarah Danik is a reporter and anchor at FOX Carolina. She’ll be reporting for duty at Laurens District High School with Principal Chris Moore;

-Jonathan Irick was raised in Laurens and graduated from Laurens District High School in 1993. After college, he worked at/managed Earl Thomason Jewelers on the square for 17 years. In 1996, he became Executive Director of Main Street Laurens. You’ll find him working the halls of Laurens Middle School alongside Principal Anna Brink;

-Major Chrissie Cofield is the assistant chief of Laurens Police Department. She will be learning the ways of students and staff at Ford Elementary with Principal Zak Watson;

-Jason Jackson, the plant manager at Greenwood Quarry, Vulcan Materials Company, will be principal for the day at Gray Court-Owings Elementary/Middle with Principal Phillip Dean;

-David Greer grew up in Simpsonville and finished college at the Citadel in Charleston, SC. For the past 18 years, Greer has worked at five Milliken locations in South Carolina and North Carolina. He’ll be found at Laurens Elementary with Principal Randy Dendy

-Jarvis Reeder is the Chief Deputy for the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office. He will be working at Waterloo Elementary with Principal Jennifer Abercrombie.

“A strong public school system is the foundation for a strong economy and a vibrant community,” said Susan Calhoun-Ware, chair of the Laurens 55 Board. “We applaud these local leaders for taking time from their schedules to see what it’s like being ‘principal for the day’ and we welcome their suggestions on how we can improve.”